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Kabul (BNA) When Afghanistan plays its inaugural cricket test match against top-ranked India starting Thursday, it's an event that has been 17 years in the making.
Afghanistan was made an affiliate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) back in 2001, at a time when it was the only sport that was approved by the oppressive Taliban regime. But after 9/11, even cricket became just an afterthought as the country spiraled into war. Yet the game survived somehow among the Afghan people, who continued living in refugee camps lining the border to cricket-loving Pakistan. And it led to the rise of players like national-team captain Asghar Stanikzai, all-rounder Mohammad Nabi, hard-hitting wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Shahzad and pacer Shapoor Zadran.
All of them learned to play in the dusty outskirts of Peshawar, the home in exile of Afghan cricket, and are now preparing to step into the limelight of a five-day test match for the first time. Such matches can only be played between countries who have been given test status by the ICC, with Afghanistan set to become only the 12th official test nation. "It's a great moment for us as we embark on our test journey. To be playing our first test against India is a great honor and we hope to give a good account of ourselves," Stanikzai said. "To be competing against the best on the test rankings table is something to be proud of and we will try to do our best in whatever chances we get and exhibit the skills the players possess individually as well as collectively as a team."
In the past year or so, Afghanistan's reputation has grown as they played at Lord's in London against an MCC XI led by Brendon McCullum, drew an ODI series in West Indies, beat Ireland and Zimbabwe away, and then came back from the brink to win the ICC 2019 ODI World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe. Consequentially, an increasing number of Afghan cricketers have gained prominence. Among their biggest stars is Rashid Khan, the 19-year-old leg-spin bowler who is one of the world's most sought-after players in the shorter Twenty20 form of the game. Born in Nangahar in eastern Afghanistan in 1998, Khan's family moved to Pakistan to escape the war and then returned to Jalalabad a few years later. Back in his home country, Khan continued to sharpen his bowling and advanced to represent Afghanistan on the international stage in a one-day international in October 2015, a month after his 17th birthday.
Nicknamed the "Afghan Afridi" for his wicket-taking celebration mirroring those of Pakistan's mercurial all-rounder Shahid Afridi, Khan has taken world cricket by storm with successes in major T20 competitions like the Indian Premier League, the Caribbean Premier League and the Big Bash in Australia. Khan was named the 2017 ICC Associate Cricketer of the Year, and now can't wait to move to test cricket.
"There is immense happiness back home (regarding the rise of Afghan cricket). Our players are doing well in the IPL and everywhere across the world. It shows the Afghanistan cricket team is slowly rising through the ranks," Khan told The Associated Press in an interview last year. "Ultimately, the goal is to play test cricket. Maybe, I will get to play Afghanistan's first-ever test. Hopefully that day isn't far away."
In fact it arrives this week.
Foxnews

Friday June 8, 2018
Kabul (BNA) Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan defended nine runs off the final over as his side escaped with a nail-biting one-run win over Bangladesh in the third Twenty20 International in Dehradun.
Afghanistan’s victory in the final match of the series saw them whitewash Bangladesh 3-0.
Opting to bat first, Afghanistan made a strong start to their innings as openers Mohammad Shahzad and Usman Ghani amassed a 55-run partnership before Shahzad was trapped lbw off the bowling of Nazmul Islam for 26.
Ghani went on to make 19 before he was caught behind off the bowling of Abu Jayed.
Afghanistan captain Asghar Stanikzai smashed a 17-ball 27, which included three sixes, before he was dismissed by Ariful Haque.
Mohammad Nabi fell shortly after, while Najubullah Zadran scored 15 before he was caught by Mahmudullah at long-on off the bowling of Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan.
Shafiqullah failed to have an impact, but Samiullah Shenwari provided some last-minute fireworks to ensure Afghanistan finished on 145/6 off their 20 overs.
Shenwari ended up scoring an unbeaten 33, which came off 28 balls and include a boundary and two sixes.
Nazmul and Jayed picked up two wickets apiece, while Shakib and Ariful chipped in with one wicket each.
Chasing 146 to win, Bangladesh found themselves in trouble early on as two run outs, coupled with wickets from Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Karim Janat, saw them slump to 53/4 in the ninth over.
However, wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah came to the rescue with an 84-run partnership and left Bangladesh needing nine runs to win off the final over.
Rahim was sent packing on the first ball of the last over as he was caught by Najibullah at deep square leg off the bowling of Rashid for 46, which came off 37 balls and included seven boundaries.
Bangladesh managed to score five runs off the next four balls, which left them needing four runs to win off the last ball of the match.
However, they could only get two runs before Mahmudullah was run out due to some brilliant fielding from Shafiqullah at long-on.
Mahmudullah hammered a 38-ball 45, which included three boundaries and two sixes.
Rashid, Mujeeb and Janat claimed one wicket each.
Shakib was gutted to have lost, and said: “We played better today than last two games. Overall, we have to come up with better plans. I thought we restricted them to a reasonable total. We were so close, but in the middle overs that cost us.
“I thought Mushfiq and Mahmudullah gave us a chance but they could not finish it. These conditions suited Afghanistan and they had quality spinners.”
Stanikzai was relieved to have won, and said: “Good to win the series 3-0. Great preparation for Test match against India. The morale is high. Last couple of years we have performed well. We want to achieve it for Afghanistan. You see the batsmen, bowlers are all in good form. We have a few days for the Test match – thanks for the support.”
Rahim was named Man of the Match, and said: “We knew it was going to be difficult on this track. Credit goes to Afghanistan and they deserve the win. Hopefully, we will learn from this. Although, we lost the series we were playing for pride. I thought 145+ was par, but with Mujeeb and Rashid it was tough.
“We lost early wickets and Shakib, we needed more partnership and boundaries. The wicket, however, was slow. We just wanted to take it to the last over. Rashid is difficult to play. Last ball can go either way.”
Rashid was named Man of the Series, and said: “I am always trying my best to believe in my skills. I had one plan: whatever happens bowl in a good-length area. Whether leg-spin or the wrong’un, I just enjoy. The ball was gripping on a good length and that was my plan. Bowling in this area got me success.
“Full credit to my fitness. If you’re fit, you can deliver in any department. Doesn’t matter whether I’m playing in league cricket or the national team, I just want to enjoy. Thanks to the crowd for the support and love you’ve given us. We will come again and again to Dehradun. We will give you the best performances.”
Battingwithbimal
Ansari

Wednesday June 6, 2018
Kabul (BNA) Afghanistan national cricket team has defeated Bangladesh national cricket team in 2nd match by 6 wickets and won series held at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Dehradun, India.
According to BNA report, Bangladesh cricket team won the toss and elected to bat first by losing 8 wickets scored 134 runs in 20 overs.
Then, Afghan players start bating and in 19 overs by taking Mohammad Shahzad (24), Samiullah Shinwari (49), Usman Ghani (21), Asghar Stanikzai (4) and Mohammad Nabi (31*) managed to chase the given target and won the series.
Rashid Khan leg-spinner bowler bagged three wickets in one over. He bagged the wickets of Shakib, Tamim and Mosaddek in 16th over and put Bangladesh on tremendous pressure, in his next over, Rashid had Soumya Sarkar holing out to cap an outstanding spell.
Rashid Khan (4-12-4)
M.A.Ansari

Kabul (BNA) Afghanistan national cricket team in his first T-20 match succeeded to defeat Bangladesh by 45 runs.
According to BNA report, first Afghan cricket players start batting and scored 167 runs in 20 overs by losing 8 wickets.
The Bangladesh cricket team couldn’t reach to the chosen target by losing all wicket 122 runs in 19 others and accept his failure against Afghanistan in 1st T-20 matches.
The 2nd T-20 match between Afghanistan and Bangladesh cricket teams to be launched at 5th June.
T/M.A.Ansari